Indian equity markets finished the trading day in negative territory on Thursday as sectoral weakness in Banking, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and Healthcare pulled indices lower.
Market close and breadth
At the close on the National Stock Exchange, the Nifty 50 dropped 0.93%. The BSE Sensex 30 registered a steeper decline, falling 1.20% by the session end.
On the NSE, declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones 1,318 to 1,218, while 31 issues finished unchanged. On the Bombay Stock Exchange, 2,041 stocks rose and 1,990 fell, with 121 unchanged.
Top movers on the Nifty 50
- Hindalco Industries Ltd. (NSE:HALC) was the session's top gainer on the Nifty 50, rising 3.34% (31.75 points) to close at 983.55.
- Bharat Electronics Ltd (NSE:BAJE) added 1.71% (7.40 points) to end the day at 440.50.
- Bajaj Auto Ltd (NSE:BAJA) advanced 1.62% (152.00 points) to finish at 9,518.00.
Heaviest falls on the Nifty 50
- Jio Financial Services Ltd (NSE:JIOF) led declines, slipping 3.18% (7.86 points) to 239.00 at the close.
- Larsen & Toubro Ltd (NSE:LART) declined 2.87% (114.80 points) to end at 3,891.10.
- Shriram Finance Ltd. (NSE:SHMF) fell 2.74% (28.00 points) to close at 995.20.
BSE Sensex 30 movers
- Nestle India Ltd (BO:NEST) was among the top performers on the Sensex, up 1.41% to 1,230.35.
- NTPC Ltd (BO:NTPC) rose 1.26% to settle at 378.95.
- Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (BO:TCS) gained 1.18% to close at 2,589.95.
Largest drops on the Sensex
- Larsen & Toubro Ltd (BO:LART) was the biggest laggard on the Sensex, down 2.88% to 3,892.00 in late trade.
- IndusInd Bank Ltd. (BO:INBK) lost 2.68% to settle at 813.40.
- Eternal Ltd (BO:ETEA) fell 2.57% to close at 237.35.
Volatility and commodities
The India VIX, an implied volatility gauge for Nifty 50 options, rose 3.44% to 20.38, indicating an uptick in expected short-term volatility.
In commodity markets, gold futures for June delivery eased 0.29% (13.63) to $4,763.57 a troy ounce. Crude oil posted notable gains: the May contract climbed 4.96% (4.68) to $99.09 a barrel, while June Brent rose 3.67% (3.48) to trade at $98.23 a barrel.
Foreign exchange and dollar index
On the currency front, the USD/INR exchange rate increased 0.50% to 92.81. The euro traded stronger against the rupee as EUR/INR rose 0.46% to 108.21. The US Dollar Index Futures moved lower, down 0.14% at 98.79.
This session's market action reflected uneven sector performance: selective buying lifted certain metals and auto-related stocks, while pressure in banking, FMCG and healthcare names contributed to the overall decline in benchmark indices. Volatility measures and commodity price swings accompanied the move.